In work environments that require intensive communication systems (e.g. air traffic control towers, military command centers, emergency response centers, financial trading centers, etc.), an operator may need to interact with online persons, information, and images while simultaneously monitoring events and communicating in person directly with co-workers present in the same room with the operator. The operator may need access to several equipment interfaces (e.g. touch screens, display screens, speakers, cameras, input devices, etc.) while maintaining the capacity to see and be seen by others in the work environment.
Workstations currently found in these work environments may limit the capacity of the operator to see and be seen. For example, multiple display screens arranged substantially in a single vertical plane may reach a height such that the operator's viewing sightlines with other personnel are blocked.
Another drawback of existing workstations is that they offer limited options for arranging equipment in a comfortable and ergonomic configuration for a particular operator. For example, many current workstations may only be configured for an operator who is sitting, standing, or of a certain height. When an operator prefers sitting to standing, or vice versa, or if an operator's height is atypical, it may be very difficult or impossible to orient multiple display screens at optimal viewing angles and position other equipment within easy reach of the operator. As a result, the operator may experience strain and fatigue.
For some applications, it may be desirable to provide a group workstation wherein a plurality of users may comfortably view and interact with communications equipment.
Intensive communication systems of the type mentioned above typically have multiple computer CPUs and display screens that generate a substantial amount of heat. When the equipment is arranged in close proximity at a single workstation, some of the equipment may be damaged by overheating if heat is not properly dissipated.
What is needed is a configurable workstation that addresses the issues mentioned above.